ID :
133575
Mon, 07/19/2010 - 17:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/133575
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Thai authorities showcase arms seized from aide of assassinated Red Shirt general
BANGKOK, July 19 (TNA) - Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Monday showed 15 war weapons including AK assault rifles and M79 grenade launchers bought in an undercover police sting from Surachai Thewarat or ‘Rang,’ a close aide to the late anti-government Red Shirt military strategist Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol.
Arrest warrants for four more suspects are expected to be issued soon.
DSI Director-General Tharit Pengdit and Deputy Director-General Pol Col Narat Sawettanant together met the media at the agency headquarters to describe the operation to arrest Mr Surachai, who faces terrorism-related charges.
Mr Tharit said the DSI had photos that could prove close ties between Mr Surachai and the late Gen Khattiya, also known as Seh Daeng, shot by a sniper at Saladaeng during the recent anti-government demonstrations.
The accused aide had joined a group of black-clad guards of the anti-government 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and travelled to China, he said, adding that the agency had flight information and a picture of Mr Surachai photographed when he left the immigration counter at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Mr Surachai was involved in many of the protest incidents, Mr Tarit said, and the DSI is confident that the Seh Daeng aide did play a major role in the attacks during the Red Shirt demonstrations in early March until May.
He stood firm Mr Surachai is not a scapegoat as DSI undercover detectives clearly identified that he was the person who supplied weapons to them in the operation.
Mr Tharit said the DSI had strong evidence implicating Mr Surachai in eight major cases among some 60 explosions and M-79 grenade attacks during the two-month UDD protest.
He said most of the violence was carried out by the same group and after the protest ended, they began selling war weapons.
The director-general said DSI had not intended to link Mr Surachai with Gen Khattiya but the facts, according to the investigation, had affirmed their connection.
Col Narat said that DSI staff recently posed as customer to buy military hardware from the group who incited violence during the UDD protest and agreed to buy arms from Mr Surachai for a Bt60,000 (US$1,875) payment and was scheduled to deliver to him and four other people in his group.
He said Mr Surachai would be additionally charged with having possession of illegal weapons of war for sale. Arrest warrants will be soon issued for four other suspects involved.
The DSI had examined the weapons and initially found that they were manufactured in China as Chinese characters imprinted on them. They were not likely weapons stolen from soldiers during the riots as AK series arms were not weapons carried by the Thai military, he added.
Col Narat said Mr Surachai's group earlier offer to sell their weapons for Bt100,000 (US$3,125) but later agreed to sell the lot at Bt60,000.
Among the 15 items of military ordnance seized were four AK assault rifles; 25 57-89 IT hand grenades and 102 M-60 cartridges. (MCOT online news)
Arrest warrants for four more suspects are expected to be issued soon.
DSI Director-General Tharit Pengdit and Deputy Director-General Pol Col Narat Sawettanant together met the media at the agency headquarters to describe the operation to arrest Mr Surachai, who faces terrorism-related charges.
Mr Tharit said the DSI had photos that could prove close ties between Mr Surachai and the late Gen Khattiya, also known as Seh Daeng, shot by a sniper at Saladaeng during the recent anti-government demonstrations.
The accused aide had joined a group of black-clad guards of the anti-government 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and travelled to China, he said, adding that the agency had flight information and a picture of Mr Surachai photographed when he left the immigration counter at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Mr Surachai was involved in many of the protest incidents, Mr Tarit said, and the DSI is confident that the Seh Daeng aide did play a major role in the attacks during the Red Shirt demonstrations in early March until May.
He stood firm Mr Surachai is not a scapegoat as DSI undercover detectives clearly identified that he was the person who supplied weapons to them in the operation.
Mr Tharit said the DSI had strong evidence implicating Mr Surachai in eight major cases among some 60 explosions and M-79 grenade attacks during the two-month UDD protest.
He said most of the violence was carried out by the same group and after the protest ended, they began selling war weapons.
The director-general said DSI had not intended to link Mr Surachai with Gen Khattiya but the facts, according to the investigation, had affirmed their connection.
Col Narat said that DSI staff recently posed as customer to buy military hardware from the group who incited violence during the UDD protest and agreed to buy arms from Mr Surachai for a Bt60,000 (US$1,875) payment and was scheduled to deliver to him and four other people in his group.
He said Mr Surachai would be additionally charged with having possession of illegal weapons of war for sale. Arrest warrants will be soon issued for four other suspects involved.
The DSI had examined the weapons and initially found that they were manufactured in China as Chinese characters imprinted on them. They were not likely weapons stolen from soldiers during the riots as AK series arms were not weapons carried by the Thai military, he added.
Col Narat said Mr Surachai's group earlier offer to sell their weapons for Bt100,000 (US$3,125) but later agreed to sell the lot at Bt60,000.
Among the 15 items of military ordnance seized were four AK assault rifles; 25 57-89 IT hand grenades and 102 M-60 cartridges. (MCOT online news)
